The Holy Bible

Part 72 out of 74

11:19. And the temple of God was opened in heaven: and the ark of his
testament was seen in his temple. And there were lightnings and voices
and an earthquake and great hail.

Apocalypse Chapter 12

The vision of the woman clothed with the sun and of the great dragon
her persecutor.

12:1. And a great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the
sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve
stars.

A woman. . .The church of God. It may also, by allusion, be applied to
our blessed Lady. The church is clothed with the sun, that is, with
Christ: she hath the moon, that is, the changeable things of the world,
under her feet: and the twelve stars with which she is crowned, are the
twelve apostles: she is in labour and pain, whilst she brings forth her
children, and Christ in them, in the midst of afflictions and
persecutions.

12:2. And being with child, she cried travailing in birth: and was in
pain to be delivered.

12:3. And there was seen another sign in heaven. And behold a great red
dragon, having seven heads and ten horns and on his heads seven
diadems.

12:4. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven and cast
them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready
to be delivered: that, when she should be delivered, he might devour
her son.

12:5. And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations
with an iron rod. And her son was taken up to God and to his throne.

12:6. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she had a place
prepared by God, that there they should feed her, a thousand two
hundred sixty days.

12:7. And there was a great battle in heaven: Michael and his angels
fought with the dragon, and the dragon fought, and his angels.

12:8. And they prevailed not: neither was their place found any more in
heaven.

12:9. And that great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, who is
called the devil and Satan, who seduceth the whole world. And he was
cast unto the earth: and his angels were thrown down with him.

12:10. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying: Now is come
salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God and the power of his
Christ: because the accuser of our brethren is cast forth, who accused
them before our God day and night.

12:11. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word
of the testimony: and they loved not their lives unto death.

12:12. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens, and you that dwell therein. Woe
to the earth and to the sea, because the devil is come down unto you,
having great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time.

12:13. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he
persecuted the woman who brought forth the man child.

12:14. And there were given to the woman two wings of a great eagle,
that she might fly into the desert, unto her place, where she is
nourished for a time and times, and half a time, from the face of the
serpent.

12:15. And the serpent cast out of his mouth, after the woman, water,
as it were a river: that he might cause her to be carried away by the
river.

12:16. And the earth helped the woman: and the earth opened her mouth
and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

12:17. And the dragon was angry against the woman: and went to make war
with the rest of her seed, who keep the commandments of God and have
the testimony of Jesus Christ.

12:18. And he stood upon the sand of the sea.

Apocalypse Chapter 13

Of the beast with seven heads and of a second beast.

13:1. And I saw a beast coming up out the sea, having seven heads and
ten horns: and upon his horns, ten diadems: and upon his heads, names
of blasphemy.

A beast. . .This first beast with seven heads and ten horns, is probably
the whole company of infidels, enemies and persecutors of the people of
God, from the beginning to the end of the world. The seven heads are
seven kings, that is, seven principal kingdoms or empires, which have
exercised, or shall exercise, tyrannical power over the people of God;
of these, five were then fallen, viz.: the Egyptian, Assyrian,
Chaldean, Persian, and Grecian monarchies: one was present, viz., the
empire of Rome: and the seventh and chiefest was to come, viz., the
great Antichrist and his empire. The ten horns may be understood of ten
lesser persecutors.

13:2. And the beast which I saw was like to a leopard: and his feet
were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion. And
the dragon gave him his own strength and great power.

13:3. And I saw one of his heads as it were slain to death: and his
death's wound was healed. And all the earth was in admiration after the
beast.

One of his heads, etc. . .Some understand this of the mortal wound,
which the idolatry of the Roman empire (signified by the sixth head)
received from Constantine; which was, as it were, healed again by
Julian the Apostate.

13:4. And they adored the dragon which gave power to the beast. And
they adored the beast, saying: Who is like to the beast? And who shall
be able to fight with him?

13:5. And there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and
blasphemies: and power was given to him to do, two and forty months.

13:6. And he opened his mouth unto blasphemies against God, to
blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven.

His tabernacle, etc. . .That is, his church and his saints.

13:7. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints and to
overcome them. And power was given him over every tribe and people and
tongue and nation.

13:8. And all that dwell upon the earth adored him, whose names are not
written in the book of life of the Lamb which was slain from the
beginning of the world.

Slain from the beginning, etc. . .In the foreknowledge of God; and
inasmuch as all mercy and grace, from the beginning, was given in view
of his death and passion.

13:9. If any man have an ear, let him hear.

13:10. He that shall lead into captivity shall go into captivity: he
that shall kill by the sword must be killed by the sword. Here is the
patience and the faith of the saints.

13:11. And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth: and he had
two horns, like a lamb: and he spoke as a dragon.

Another beast. . .This second beast with two horns, may be understood of
the heathenish priests and magicians; the principal promoters both of
idolatry and persecution.

13:12. And he executed all the power of the former beast in his sight.
And he caused the earth and them that dwell therein to adore the first
beast, whose wound to death was healed.

13:13. And he did great signs, so that he made also fire to come down
from heaven unto the earth, in the sight of men.

13:14. And he seduced them that dwell on the earth, for the signs which
were given him to do in the sight of the beast: saying to them that
dwell on the earth that they should make the image of the beast which
had the wound by the sword and lived.

13:15. And it was given him to give life to the image of the beast: and
that the image of the beast should speak: and should cause that
whosoever will not adore the image of the beast should be slain.

13:16. And he shall make all, both little and great, rich and poor,
freemen and bondmen, to have a character in their right hand or on
their foreheads:

13:17. And that no man might buy or sell, but he that hath the
character, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

13:18. Here is wisdom. He that hath understanding, let him count the
number of the beast. For it is the number of a man: and the number of
him is six hundred sixty-six.

Six hundred sixty-six. . .The numeral letters of his name shall make up
this number.

Apocalypse Chapter 14

Of the Lamb and of the virgins that follow him. Of the judgments that
shall fall upon the wicked.

14:1. And I beheld: and lo a Lamb stood upon mount Sion, and with him
an hundred forty-four thousand, having his name and the name of his
Father written on their foreheads.

14:2. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the noise of many waters and
as the voice of great thunder. And the voice which I heard was as the
voice of harpers, harping on their harps.

14:3. And they sung as it were a new canticle, before the throne and
before the four living creatures and the ancients: and no man could say
the canticle, but those hundred forty-four thousand who were purchased
from the earth.

14:4. These are they who were not defiled with women: for they are
virgins. These follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were
purchased from among men, the firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.

14:5. And in their mouth there was found no lie: for they are without
spot before the throne of God.

14:6. And I saw another angel flying through the midst of heaven,
having the eternal gospel, to preach unto them that sit upon the earth
and over every nation and tribe and tongue and people:

14:7. Saying with a loud voice: Fear the Lord and give him honour,
because the hour of his judgment is come. And adore ye him that made
heaven and earth, the sea and the fountains of waters.

14:8. And another angel followed, saying: That great Babylon is fallen,
is fallen; which made all nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of
her fornication.

Babylon. . .By Babylon may be very probably signified all the wicked
world in general, which God will punish, and destroy after the short
time of this mortal life: or it may signify every great city wherein
enormous sins and abominations are daily committed; and that when the
measure of its iniquities is full, the punishments due to its crimes
are poured on it. It may also be some city of the description in the
text, that will exist, and be destroyed, as here described, towards the
end of the world.

14:9. And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice: If
any man shall adore the beast and his image and receive his character
in his forehead or in his hand,

14:10. He also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is
mingled with pure wine in the cup of his wrath: and shall be tormented
with fire and brimstone in the sight of the holy angels and in the
sight of the Lamb.

14:11. And the smoke of their torments, shall ascend up for ever and
ever: neither have they rest day nor night, who have adored the beast
and his image and whoever receiveth the character of his name.

14:12. Here is the patience of the saints, who keep the commandments of
God and the faith of Jesus.

14:13. And I heard a voice from heaven, saying to me: Write: Blessed
are the dead who die in the Lord. From henceforth now, saith the
Spirit, that they may rest from their labours. For their works follow
them.

Die in the Lord. . .It is understood of the martyrs who die for the
Lord.

14:14. And I saw: and behold a white cloud and upon the cloud one
sitting like to the Son of man, having on his head a crown of gold and
in his hand a sharp sickle.

14:15. And another angel came out from the temple, crying with a loud
voice to him that sat upon the cloud: Thrust in thy sickle and reap,
because the hour is come to reap. For the harvest of the earth is ripe.

14:16. And he that sat on the cloud thrust his sickle into the earth:
and the earth was reaped.

14:17. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he
also having a sharp sickle.

14:18. And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over
fire. And he cried with a loud voice to him that had the sharp sickle,
saying: Thrust in thy sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the
vineyard of the earth, because the grapes thereof are ripe.

14:19. And the angel thrust in his sharp sickle into the earth and
gathered the vineyard of the earth and cast it into the great press of
the wrath of God:

14:20. And the press was trodden without the city, and blood came out
of the press, up to the horses' bridles, for a thousand and six hundred
furlongs.

Apocalypse Chapter 15

They that have overcome the beast glorify God. Of the seven angels with
the seven vials.

15:1. And I saw another sign in heaven, great and wonderful: seven
angels having the seven last plagues. For in them is filled up the
wrath of God.

15:2. And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them
that had overcome the beast and his image and the number of his name,
standing on the sea of glass, having the harps of God:

15:3. And singing the canticle of Moses, the servant of God, and the
canticle of the Lamb, saying: Great and wonderful are thy works, O Lord
God Almighty. Just and true are thy ways, O King of ages.

15:4. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and magnify thy name? For thou
only art holy. For all nations shall come and shall adore in thy sight,
because thy judgments are manifest.

15:5. And after these things, I looked: and behold, the temple of the
tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened.

15:6. And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven
plagues, clothed with clean and white linen and girt about the breasts
with golden girdles.

15:7. And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels
seven golden vials, full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and
ever.

15:8. And the temple was filled with smoke from the majesty of God and
from his power. And no man was able to enter into the temple, till the
seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

Apocalypse Chapter 16

The seven vials are poured out. The plagues that ensue.

16:1. And I heard a great voice out of the temple, saying to the seven
angels: Go and pour out the seven vials of the wrath of God upon the
earth.

16:2. And the first went and poured out his vial upon the earth. And
there fell a sore and grievous wound upon men who had the character of
the beast: and upon them that adored the image thereof.

16:3. And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea. And there
came blood as it were of a dead man: and every living soul died in the
sea.

16:4. And the third poured out his vial upon the rivers and the
fountains of waters. And there was made blood.

16:5. And I heard the angel of the waters saying: Thou art just, O
Lord, who art and who wast, the Holy One, because thou hast judged
these things.

16:6. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets: and thou
hast given them blood to drink. For they are worthy.

16:7. And I heard another, from the altar, saying: Yea, O Lord God
Almighty, true and just are thy judgments.

16:8. And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun. And it was
given unto him to afflict men with heat and fire.

16:9. And men were scorched with great heat: and they blasphemed the
name of God, who hath power over these plagues. Neither did they
penance to give him glory.

16:10. And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the
beast. And his kingdom became dark: and they gnawed their tongues for
pain.

16:11. And they blasphemed the God of heaven, because of their pains
and wounds: and did not penance for their works.

16:12. And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon that great river
Euphrates and dried up the water thereof, that a way might be prepared
for the kings from the rising of the sun.

16:13. And I saw from the mouth of the dragon and from the mouth of the
beast and from the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits
like frogs.

16:14. For they are the spirits of devils, working signs: and they go
forth unto the kings of the whole earth, to gather them to battle
against the great day of the Almighty God.

16:15. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth and
keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

16:16. And he shall gather them together into a place which in Hebrew
is called Armagedon.

Armagedon. . .That is, the hill of robbers.

16:17. And the seventh angel poured out his vial upon the air. And
there came a great voice out of the temple from the throne, saying: It
is done.

16:18. And there were lightnings and voices and thunders: and there was
a great earthquake, such an one as never had been since men were upon
the earth, such an earthquake, so great.

16:19. And the great city was divided into three parts: and the cities
of the Gentiles fell. And great Babylon came in remembrance before God,
to give her the cup of the wine of the indignation of his wrath.

16:20. And every island fled away: and the mountains were not found.

16:21. And great hail, like a talent, came down from heaven upon men:
and men blasphemed God, for the plague of the hail: because it was
exceeding great.

Apocalypse Chapter 17

The description of the great harlot and of the beast upon which she
sits.

17:1. And there came one of the seven angels who had the seven vials
and spoke with me, saying: Come, I will shew thee the condemnation of
the great harlot, who sitteth upon many waters:

17:2. With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication. And
they who inhabit the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her
whoredom.

17:3. And he took me away in spirit into the desert. And I saw a woman
sitting upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy,
having seven heads and ten horns.

17:4. And the woman was clothed round about with purple and scarlet,
and gilt with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup
in her hand, full of the abomination and filthiness of her fornication.

17:5. And on her forehead a name was written: A mystery: Babylon the
great, the mother of the fornications and the abominations of the
earth.

A mystery. . .That is, a secret; because what follows of the name and
title of the great harlot is to be taken in a mystical sense.
Babylon. . .Either the city of the devil in general; or, if this place
be to be understood of any particular city, pagan Rome, which then and
for three hundred years persecuted the church; and was the principal
seat both of empire and idolatry.

17:6. And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints and with
the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And I wondered, when I had seen her,
with great admiration.

17:7. And the angel said to me: Why dost thou wonder? I will tell thee
the mystery of the woman and of the beast which carrieth her, which
hath the seven heads and ten horns.

17:8. The beast which thou sawest, was, and is not, and shall come up
out of the bottomless pit and go into destruction. And the inhabitants
on the earth (whose names are not written in the book of life from the
foundation of the world) shall wonder, seeing the beast that was and is
not.

The beast which thou sawest. . .This beast which supports Babylon, may
signify the power of the devil: which was and is not, being much
limited by the coming of Christ, but shall again exert itself under
Antichrist. The seven heads of this beast are seven mountains or
empires, instruments of his tyranny; of which five were then fallen.
(See chap. 13.1, and below, ver. 10.) The beast itself is said to be
the eighth, and is of the seven; because they all act under the devil,
and by his instigation, so that his power is in them all, yet so as to
make up, as it were, an eighth empire, distinct from them all.

17:9. And here is the understanding that hath wisdom. The seven heads
are seven mountains, upon which the woman sitteth: and they are seven
kings.

17:10. Five are fallen, one is, and the other is not yet come: and when
he is come, he must remain a short time.

17:11. And the beast which was and is not: the same also is the eighth,
and is of the seven, and goeth into destruction.

17:12. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, who have not
yet received a kingdom: but shall receive power as kings, one hour
after the beast.

Ten kings. . .Ten lesser kingdoms, enemies also of the church of Christ:
which, nevertheless, shall be made instruments of the justice of God
for the punishment of Babylon. Some understand this of the Goths,
Vandals, Huns, and other barbarous nations, that destroyed the empire
of Rome.

17:13. These have one design: and their strength and power they shall
deliver to the beast.

17:14. These shall fight with the Lamb. And the Lamb shall overcome
them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings: and they that are
with him are called and elect and faithful.

17:15. And he said to me: The waters which thou sawest, where the
harlot sitteth, are peoples and nations and tongues.

17:16. And the ten horns which thou sawest in the beast: These shall
hate the harlot and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eat her
flesh and shall burn her with fire.

17:17. For God hath given into their hearts to do that which pleaseth
him: that they give their kingdom to the beast, till the words of God
be fulfilled.

17:18. And the woman which thou sawest is the great city which hath
kingdom over the kings of the earth.

Apocalypse Chapter 18

The fall of Babylon. Kings and merchants lament over her.

18:1. And after these things, I saw another angel come down from
heaven, having great power: and the earth was enlightened with his
glory.

18:2. And he cried out with a strong voice, saying: Babylon the great
is fallen, is fallen: and is become the habitation of devils and the
hold of every unclean spirit and the hold of every unclean and hateful
bird:

18:3. Because all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her
fornication: and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with
her; And the merchants of the earth have been made rich by the power of
her delicacies.

18:4. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying: Go out from her,
my people; that you be not partakers of her sins and that you receive
not of her plagues.

18:5. For her sins have reached unto heaven: and the Lord hath
remembered her iniquities.

18:6. Render to her as she also hath rendered to you: and double unto
her double, according to her works. In the cup wherein she hath
mingled, mingle ye double unto her.

18:7. As much as she hath glorified herself and lived in delicacies, so
much torment and sorrow give ye to her. Because she saith in her heart:
I sit a queen and am no widow: and sorrow I shall not see.

18:8. Therefore, shall her plagues come in one day, death and mourning
and famine. And she shall be burnt with the fire: because God is
strong, who shall judge her.

18:9. And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and
lived in delicacies with her, shall weep and bewail themselves over
her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning:

18:10. Standing afar off for fear of her torments, saying: Alas! alas!
that great city, Babylon, that mighty city: for in one hour is thy
judgment come.

18:11. And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her:
for no man shall buy their merchandise any more.

18:12. Merchandise of gold and silver and precious stones: and of
pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet: and all thyine
wood: and all manner of vessels of ivory: and all manner of vessels of
precious stone and of brass and of iron and of marble:

18:13. And cinnamon and odours and ointment and frankincense and wine
and oil and fine flour and wheat and beasts and sheep and horses and
chariots: and slaves and souls of men.

18:14. And the fruits of the desire of thy soul are departed from thee:
and all fat and goodly things are perished from thee. And they shall
find them no more at all.

18:15. The merchants of these things, who were made rich, shall stand
afar off from her, for fear of her torments, weeping and mourning,

18:16. And saying: Alas! alas! that great city, which was clothed with
fine linen and purple and scarlet and was gilt with gold and precious
stones and pearls.

18:17. For in one hour are so great riches come to nought. And every
shipmaster and all that sail into the lake, and mariners, and as many
as work in the sea, stood afar off,

18:18. And cried, seeing the place of her burning, saying: What city is
like to this great city?

18:19. And they cast dust upon their heads and cried, weeping and
mourning, saying: Alas! alas! that great city, wherein all were made
rich, that had ships at sea, by reason of her prices. For, in one hour
she is made desolate.

18:20. Rejoice over her, thou heaven and ye holy apostles and prophets.
For God hath judged your judgment on her.

18:21. And a mighty angel took up a stone, as it were a great
millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying: With such violence as
this, shall Babylon, that great city, be thrown down and shall be found
no more at all.

18:22. And the voice of harpers and of musicians and of them that play
on the pipe and on the trumpet shall no more be heard at all in thee:
and no craftsman of any art whatsoever shall be found any more at all
in thee: and the sound of the mill shall be heard no more at all in
thee:

18:23. And the light of the lamp shall shine no more at all in thee:
and the voice of the bridegroom and the bride shall be heard no more at
all in thee. For thy merchants were the great men of the earth: for all
nations have been deceived by thy enchantments.

18:24. And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of
all that were slain upon the earth.

Apocalypse Chapter 19

The saints glorify God for his judgments on the great harlot. Christ's
victory over the beast and the kings of the earth.

19:1. After these things, I heard as it were the voice of much people
in heaven, saying: Alleluia. Salvation and glory and power is to our
God.

19:2. For true and just are his judgments, who hath judged the great
harlot which corrupted the earth with her fornication and hath revenged
the blood of his servants, at her hands.

19:3. And again they said: Alleluia. And her smoke ascendeth for ever
and ever.

19:4. And the four and twenty ancients and the four living creatures
fell down and adored God that sitteth upon the throne, saying: Amen.
Alleluia.

19:5. And a voice came out from the throne, saying: Give praise to our
God, all ye his servants: and you that fear him, little and great.

19:6. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the
voice of many waters, and as the voice of great thunders, saying:
Alleluia: for the Lord our God, the Almighty, hath reigned.

19:7. Let us be glad and rejoice and give glory to him. For the
marriage of the Lamb is come: and his wife hath prepared herself.

19:8. And it is granted to her that she should clothe herself with fine
linen, glittering and white. For the fine linen are the justifications
of saints.

19:9. And he said to me: Write: Blessed are they that are called to the
marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith to me: These words of God are
true.

19:10. And I fell down before his feet, to adore him. And he saith to
me: See thou do it not. I am thy fellow servant and of thy brethren who
have the testimony of Jesus. Adore God. For the testimony of Jesus is
the spirit of prophecy.

I fell down before, etc. . .St. Augustine (lib. 20, contra Faust, c. 21)
is of opinion, that this angel appeared in so glorious a manner, that
St. John took him to be God; and therefore would have given him divine
honour had not the angel stopped him, by telling him he was but his
fellow servant. St. Gregory (Hom. 8, in Evang.) rather thinks that the
veneration offered by St. John, was not divine honour, or indeed any
other than what might lawfully be given; but was nevertheless refused
by the angel, in consideration of the dignity to which our human nature
had been raised, by the incarnation of the Son of God, and the dignity
of St. John, an apostle, prophet, and martyr.

19:11. And I saw heaven opened: and behold a white horse. And he that
sat upon him was called faithful and true: and with justice doth he
judge and fight.

19:12. And his eyes were as a flame of fire: and on his head were many
diadems. And he had a name written, which no man knoweth but himself.

19:13. And he was clothed with a garment sprinkled with blood. And his
name is called: THE WORD OF GOD.

19:14. And the armies that are in heaven followed him on white horses,
clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

19:15. And out of his mouth proceedeth a sharp two-edged sword, that
with it he may strike the nations. And he shall rule them with a rod of
iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of
God the Almighty.

19:16. And he hath on his garment and on his thigh written: KING OF
KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

19:17. And I saw an angel standing in the sun: and he cried with a loud
voice, saying to all the birds that did fly through the midst of
heaven: Come, gather yourselves together to the great supper of God:

19:18. That you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of tribunes
and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and of them that
sit on them: and the flesh of all freemen and bondmen and of little and
of great.

19:19. And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies,
gathered together to make war with him that sat upon the horse and with
his army.

19:20. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet who
wrought signs before him, wherewith he seduced them who received the
character of the beast and who adored his image. These two were cast
alive into the pool of fire burning with brimstone.

19:21. And the rest were slain by the sword of him that sitteth upon
the horse, which proceedeth out of his mouth: and all the birds were
filled with their flesh.

Apocalypse Chapter 20

Satan is bound for a thousand years. The souls of the martyrs reign
with Christ in the first resurrection. The last attempts of Satan
against the church. The last judgment.

20:1. And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the
bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

20:2. And he laid hold on the dragon, the old serpent, which is the
devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.

Bound him, etc. . .The power of Satan has been very much limited by the
passion of Christ: for a thousand years; that is, for the whole time of
the New Testament; but especially from the time of the destruction of
Babylon or pagan Rome, till the new efforts of Gog and Magog against
the church, towards the end of the world. During which time the souls
of the martyrs and saints live and reign with Christ in heaven, in the
first resurrection, which is that of the soul to the life of glory; as
the second resurrection will be that of the body, at the day of the
general judgment.

20:3. And he cast him into the bottomless pit and shut him up and set a
seal upon him, that he should no more seduce the nations till the
thousand years be finished. And after that, he must be loosed a little
time.

20:4. And I saw seats. And they sat upon them: and judgment was given
unto them. And the souls of them that were beheaded for the testimony
of Jesus and for the word of God and who had not adored the beast nor
his image nor received his character on their foreheads or in their
hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

20:5. The rest of the dead lived not, till the thousand years were
finished. This is the first resurrection.

20:6. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection.
In these the second death hath no power. But they shall be priests of
God and of Christ: and shall reign with him a thousand years.

20:7. And when the thousand years shall be finished, Satan shall be
loosed out of his prison and shall go forth and seduce the nations
which are over the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog: and shall
gather them together to battle, the number of whom is as the sand of
the sea.

20:8. And they came upon the breadth of the earth and encompassed the
camp of the saints and the beloved city.

20:9. And there came down fire from God out of heaven and devoured
them: and the devil, who seduced them, was cast into the pool of fire
and brimstone, where both the beast

20:10. And the false prophet shall be tormented day and night for ever
and ever.

20:11. And I saw a great white throne and one sitting upon it, from
whose face the earth and heaven fled away: and there was no place found
for them

20:12. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing in the presence of
the throne. And the books were opened: and another book was opened,
which was the book of life. And the dead were judged by those things
which were written in the books, according to their works.

20:13. And the sea gave up the dead that were in it: and death and hell
gave up their dead that were in them. And they were judged, every one
according to their works.

20:14. And hell and death were cast into the pool of fire. This is the
second death.

20:15. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast
into the pool of fire.

Apocalypse Chapter 21

The new Jerusalem described.

21:1. I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the
first earth was gone: and the sea is now no more.

The first heaven and the first earth was gone. . .being changed, not as
to their substance, but in their qualities.

21:2. And I, John, saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down
out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

21:3. And I heard a great voice from the throne, saying: Behold the
tabernacle of God with men: and he will dwell with them. And they shall
be his people: and God himself with them shall be their God.

21:4. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes: and death
shall be no more. Nor mourning, nor crying, nor sorrow shall be any
more, for the former things are passed away.

21:5. And he that sat on the throne, said: Behold, I make all things
new. And he said to me: Write. For these words are most faithful and
true.

21:6. And he said to me: It is done. I am Alpha and Omega: the
Beginning and the End. To him that thirsteth, I will give of the
fountain of the water of life, freely.

21:7. He that shall overcome shall possess these things. And I will be
his God: and he shall be my son.

21:8. But the fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and murderers
and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, they shall
have their portion in the pool burning with fire and brimstone, which
is the second death.

21:9. And there came one of the seven angels, who had the vials full of
the seven last plagues, and spoke with me, saying: Come and I will shew
thee the bride, the wife of the Lamb.

21:10. And he took me up in spirit to a great and high mountain: and he
shewed me the holy city Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,

21:11. Having the glory of God, and the light thereof was like to a
precious stone, as to the jasper stone even as crystal.

21:12. And it had a wall great and high, having twelve gates, and in
the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names
of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.

21:13. On the east, three gates: and on the north, three gates: and on
the south, three gates: and on the west, three gates.

21:14. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations: And in them,
the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb,

21:15. And he that spoke with me had a measure of a reed of gold, to
measure the city and the gates thereof and the wall.

21:16. And the city lieth in a four-square: and the length thereof is
as great as the breadth. And he measured the city with the golden reed
for twelve thousand furlongs: and the length and the height and the
breadth thereof are equal.

21:17. And he measured the wall thereof an hundred forty-four cubits,
the measure of a man, which is of an angel.

The measure of a man, i.e., According to the measure of men, and used
by the angel. . .This seems to be the true meaning of these words.

21:18. And the building of the wall thereof was of jasper stone: but
the city itself pure gold like to clear glass.

21:19. And the foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with
all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper: the
second, sapphire: the third; a chalcedony: the fourth, an emerald:

21:20. The fifth, sardonyx: the sixth, sardius: the seventh,
chrysolite: the eighth, beryl: the ninth, a topaz: the tenth, a
chrysoprasus: the eleventh, a jacinth: the twelfth, an amethyst.

21:21. And the twelve gates are twelve pearls, one to each: and every
several gate was of one several pearl. And the street of the city was
pure gold, as it were, transparent glass.

21:22. And I saw no temple therein. For the Lord God Almighty is the
temple thereof, and the Lamb.

21:23. And the city hath no need of the sun, nor of the moon, to shine
in it. For the glory of God hath enlightened it: and the Lamb is the
lamp thereof.

21:24. And the nations shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of
the earth shall bring their glory and honour into it.

21:25. And the gates thereof shall not be shut by day: for there shall
be no night there.

21:26. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into
it.

21:27. There shall not enter into it any thing defiled or that worketh
abomination or maketh a lie: but they that are written in the book of
life of the Lamb.

Apocalypse Chapter 22

The water and tree of life. The conclusion.

22:1. And he shewed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal,
proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.

22:2. In the midst of the street thereof, and on both sides of the
river, was the tree of life, bearing twelve fruits, yielding its fruits
every month: the leaves of the tree for the healing of the nations.

22:3. And there shall be no curse any more: but the throne of God and
of the Lamb shall be in it. And his servants shall serve him.

22:4. And they shall see his face: and his name shall be on their
foreheads.

22:5. And night shall be no more. And they shall not need the light of
the lamp, nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God shall
enlighten then. And they shall reign for ever and ever.

22:6. And he said to me: These words are most faithful and true. And
the Lord God of the spirits of the prophets sent his angel to shew his
servant the things which must be done shortly.

22:7. And: Behold I come quickly. Blessed is he that keepeth the words
of the prophecy of this book.

22:8. And I, John, who have heard and seen these things. And, after I
had heard and seen, I fell down to adore before the feet of the angel
who shewed me the things.

22:9. And he said to me: See thou do it not. For I am thy fellow
servant, and of thy brethren the prophets and of them that keep the
words of the prophecy of this book. Adore God.

22:10. And he saith to me: Seal not the words of the prophecy of this
book. For the time is at hand.

For the time is at hand. . .That is, when compared to eternity, all time
and temporal things vanish, and are but of short duration. As to the
time when the chief predictions should come to pass, we have no
certainty, as appears by the different opinions, both of the ancient
fathers and late interpreters. Many think that most things set down
from the 4th chapter to the end, will not be fulfilled till a little
time before the end of the world. Others are of opinion, that a great
part of them, and particularly the fall of the wicked Babylon, happened
at the destruction of paganism, by the destruction of heathen Rome, and
its persecuting heathen emperors. Of these interpretations, see
Aleazar, in his long commentary; see the learned Bossnet, bishop of
Meaux, in his treatise on this Book; and P. Alleman, in his notes on
the same Apocalypse, tom. 12, who in his Preface says, that this, in a
great measure, may be now looked upon as the opinion followed by the
learned men. In fine, others think that St. John's design was in a
mystical way, by metaphors and allegories, to represent the attempts
and persecutions of the wicked against the servants of God, the
punishments that should in a short time fall upon Babylon, that is,
upon all the wicked in general: the eternal happiness and reward, which
God had reserved for the pious inhabitants of Jerusalem, that is, for
his faithful servants, after their short trials and the tribulations of
this mortal life. In the mean time we meet with many profitable
instructions and admonitions, which we may easily enough understand:
but we have no certainty when we apply these predictions to particular
events: for as St. Jerome takes notice, the Apocalypse has as many
mysteries as words, or rather mysteries in every word. Apocalypsis
Joannis tot habet Sacramenta quot verba--parum dixi, in verbis
singulis multiplices latent intelligentiae. Ep. ad Paulin, t. 4. p.
574. Edit. Benedict.

22:11. He that hurteth, let him hurt still: and he that is filthy, let
him be filthy still: and he that is just, let him be justified still:
and he that is holy, let him be sanctified still.

Let him hurt still. . .It is not an exhortation, or license to go on in
sin; but an intimation, that how far soever the wicked may proceed,
their progress shall quickly end, and then they must expect to meet
with proportionable punishments.

22:12. Behold, I come quickly: and my reward is with me, to render to
every, man according to his works.

22:13. I am Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and
the End.

22:14. Blessed are they that wash their robes in the blood of the Lamb:
that they may have a right to the tree of life and may enter in by the
gates into the city.

22:15. Without are dogs and sorcerers and unchaste and murderers and
servers of idols and every one that loveth and maketh a lie.

22:16. I, Jesus, have sent my angel, to testify to you these things in
the churches. I am the root and stock of David, the bright and morning
star.

22:17. And the spirit and the bride say: Come. And he that heareth, let
him say: Come. And he that thirsteth, let him come. And he that will,
let him take the water of life, freely.

22:18. For I testify to every one that heareth the words of the
prophecy of this book: If any man shall add to these things, God shall
add unto him the plagues written in this book.

22:19. And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of
this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life,
and out of the holy city, and from these things that are written in
this book.

22:20. He that giveth testimony of these things, saith: Surely, I come
quickly: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

22:21. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

APPENDICES

These texts come from the 1582 Rhemes and 1610 Doway printings of the
portions of the Bible (see the 'History' section at the top of the
e-text). The primary sources provide a glimpse both into the history of
the Douay-Rheims version and the English language itself. The reader
will quickly notice that the letter 'j' does not appear in the texts,
rather 'i' functions either as a vowel or a consonant. Likewise 'u' is
not a distinct letter; it is employed typographically in the lower-case
in place of 'v' where not starting a word. The letters 'u' and 'v' both
function either as vowels or consonants. The word 'vniuersity'
demonstrates this rule. The letter 'w' is often employed, but in many
cases the earlier form of a double-v (vv) appears instead.

The transcriber has done his best to render the text accurately. Note
the relaxed spelling standards of the time; many variants appear. While
the errata section from the 1610 edition observed: "We haue also found
some other faultes of lesse importance; and feare there be more. But we
trust the reader may easely correct them, as they occurre." only obvious
errors have been amended. Where the transcriber has doubt between
whether an irregular spelling is either an error and a variant, the
printed text stands. 7-bit ASCII cannot fully represent the
typographical standards of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and
many special characters have been replaced with modern equivalents.
Where verse numbers stand in the margins of the printed texts, they have
been transferred to the body; the verse numbers in the 'Prayer of
Manasses' have been supplied from other versions. Reference notes have
been transferred from the margins, and their abbreviations modernized.

ADDITIONAL BOOKS

The prayer of Manasses, vvith the third & fourth Bookes of Esdras, extant
in most Latin and vulgare Bibles, are here placed after al the Canonical
bookes, of the old Testament: because they are not receiued into the
Canon of Diuine Scriptures by the Catholique Church.

THE PRAYER OF MANASSES KING OF IVDA, WHEN HE WAS HELD CAPTIVE IN BABYLON.

LORD omnipotent God of our fathers, Abraham, & Isaac, and Iacob, and of
their iust sede, (2 Par 33:12) [2] which didst make heauen and earth:
with al the ornamentes of them, [3] which hast bound the sea with the
word of thy precept, which hast shut vp the depth, and sealed it with
thy terrible and laudable name: [4] whom al thinges dread, & tremble at
the countinance of thy powre, [5] because the magnificence of thy glorie
is importable, & the wrath of thy threatning vpon sinners is
intollerable: [6] but the mercie of thy promise is infinite and
vnsearchable: [7] because thou art our Lord, most high, benigne, long
suffering, and very merciful, and penitent vpon the wickednes of men.
Thou Lord according to the multitude of thy goodnes hast promised
penance, and remission to them that haue sinned to thee, and by the
multitude of thy mercies thou hast decreed penance to sinners, vnto
saluation. [8] Thou therfore Lord God of the iust, hast not appointed
penance to the iust, Abraham, & Isaac and Iacob, them that haue not
sinned to thee, but hast appointed penance for me a sinner: [9] because
I haue sinned aboue the number of the sand of the sea. Myne iniquities
Lord be multiplied, mine iniquities be multiplied, and I am not worthie
to behold, & looke vpon the height of heauen, for the multitude of mine
iniquities. [10] I am made crooked with manie a band of yron, that I can
not lift vp my head, and I haue not respiration: because I haue stirred
vp thy wrath, and haue done euil before thee: I haue not done thy wil,
and thy commandmentes I haue not kept: I haue set vp abominations, and
multiplied offenses. [11] And now I bowe the knee of my hart, beseeching
goodnes of thee. [12] I haue sinned Lord, I haue sinned, & I acknowlege
myne iniquities. [13] Wherefore I beseech disiring thee, forgeue me
Lord, forgeue me: and destroy me not together with myne iniquities,
neither reserue thou for euer, being angrie, euils for me, neither damme
me into the lowest places of the earth: because thou art Lord, God, I
say, of the penitent: [14] in me thou shalt shew al thy goodnes because
thou shalt saue me vnworthie according to thy great mercie, [15] and I
wil prayse thee alwayes al the dayes of my life: because al the power of
the heauens prayseth thee, and to thee is glorie for euer and euer.
Amen.

THE THIRD BOOKE OF ESDRAS.

For helpe of the readers, especially such as haue not leysure to read al,
vve haue gathered the contentes of the chapters; but made no Annotations:
because the text it self is but as a Commentarie to the Canonical bookes;
and therfore we haue only added the concordance of other Scriptures in
the margin.

CHAP. I.

Iosias king of Iuda maketh a great Pasch, 7. geuing manie hostes to such
as wanted for sacrifice: 14. the Priestes and Leuites performing their
functions therin: 22. in the eightenth yeare of his reigne, 25. He is
slayne in battel by the king of AEgypt, 32. and much lamented by the
Iewes. 34. His sonne Ieconias succedeth. 37. After him Ioacim, 40. who
is deposed by the king of Babylon. 43. Ioachim reigneth three monethes,
and is caried into Babylon. 46. Sedecias reigneth eleuen yeares
wickedly. 52. and he with his people is caried captiue into Babylon, the
citie and temple are destroyed. 57. so remayned til the Monarchie of the
Persians.

AND Iosias made a Pasch in Ierusalem to our Lord & immolated the Phase
the fourtenth moone of the moneth: (4 Kings 23:21 / 2 Par 35:1)
2 appointing the Priestes by courses of dayes clothed with stoles in the
temple of our Lord. 3 And he spake to the Leuites the sacred seruantes
of Isreal, that they should sanctifie them selues to our Lord in the
placing of the holie arke of our Lord in the house, which king Salomon
sonne of Dauid built. 4 It shal not be for you to take it vpon your
shoulders. And now serue your Lord, and take the care of that nation
Israel, in part according to your villages and tribes, 5 according to the
writing of Dauid king of Israel, and according to the magnificence of
Salomon his sonne, al in the temple, and according to your fathers
portion of principalitie, among them that stand in the sight of your
brethren the children of Isreal. 6 Immolate the Pasch, and prepare the
sacrifices for your bretheren, and doe according to the precept of our
Lord which was geuen to Moyses. (Ex 12 / Lev 23 / Num 28) 7 And Iosias
gaue vnto the people that was found of sheepe, lambes, and kiddes, and
goates thirtie thousand, calues there thousand. 8 These thinges were
geuen to the people of the kinges goodes according to promisse: and to
the priestes for the Phase, sheepe in number two thousand, and calues an
hundred. 9 And Iechonias, and Semeias, and Nathanael bretheren, and
Hasabias, and Oziel, and Coraba for the Phase sheepe fiue thousand,
calues fiue hundred. 10 And when these thinges were done in good order,
the Priestes an the Leuites stood hauing azymes by tribes. 11 And
according to the portions of their fathers principalitie, in the sight of
the people they did offer, to our Lord according to those thinges, which
were written in the booke of Moyses: 12 and rosted the Phase with fire
as it ought: and the hostes they boyled in cauldrons, and in pottes with
beneuolence: 13 and they brought to al that were of the people: and
afterward they prepared for them selues and the priestes. 14 For the
Priestes offered the fatte, vntil the houre was ended: and the Leuites
prepared for them selues, and their brethren, the children of Aaron.
15 And the sacred singing men, the children of Asaph were by order
according to the precept of Dauid and Asaph, and Zacharias, and Ieddimus,
which was from the king. 16 And the porters at euerie gate, so that none
transgressed his owne: for their brethren prepared for them. 17 And the
thinges were consummate that perteyned to the sacrifice of our Lord.
18 In that day they celebrated the Phase, and offered hostes vpon the
sacrifice of our Lord, according to the precept of king Iosias. 19 And
the children of Israel, that were found at that time, celebrated the
Phase: and the festiual day of Azymes for seuen dayes: 20 and there was
not celebrated such a Phase in Isreal, from the times of Samuel the
prophet: 21 and al the kinges of Israel did not celebrate such a Phase
as Iosias did, and the Priestes, and the Leuites, and the Iewes, and al
Israel, that were found in their abode at Ierusalem. 22 In the eightenth
yeare, Iosias reigning was the Phase celebrated. 23 And the workes of
Iosias were directed in the sight of his Lord in a hart ful of feare:
24 and the thinges concerning him are writen in the ancient times,
touching them that sinned, and were irreligous against our Lord aboue al
nations, and that sought not the wordes of our Lord vpon Israel. 25 And
after al this fact of Iosias, came vp Pharao the king of AEgypt comming
in Charcamis from the way vpon Euphrates, and Iosias went forth to meete
him. (4 Kings 23:29 / 2 Par 35:20) 26 And the king of AEgypt sent to
Iosias saying: What is there betwen me & thee king of Iuda? 27 I was
not sent of the Lord to fight against thee: for my battel is vpon
Euphrates, goe downe in hast. 28 And Iosias did not returne vpon his
chariote: but endeuoured to ouerthrow him, not attending the word of the
prophet from the mouth of our Lord: 29 but he made battel against him in
the field of Mageddo. And princes went downe to king Iosias. 30 And the
king said to his seruantes: Remoue me from the battel, for I am weakned
excedingly. And forthwith his seruantes remoued him out of the battel.
31 And he went vp into his second chariote: & comming to Ierusalem,
dyed, and was buried in his fathers sepulchre. 32 And in al Iurie they
mourned for Iosias, & the rulers with their wiues lamented him vntil this
day. And this was geuen out to be done alwayes vnto al the stocke of
Israel. 33 But these thinges were writen before in the booke of the
histories of the kinges of Iuda: and al the actes of the doing of
Iosias, and his glorie and his vnderstanding in the law of our Lord: and
the thinges that were done by him, and that are not writen in the booke
of the kinges of Israel and Iuda. 34 And they that were of the nation,
taking Iechonias the sonne of Iosias, made him king for Iosias his
father, when he was three and twentie yeares old. (4 Kings 23:30 /
2 Par 36:1) 35 And he reigned ouer Israel three monethes. And the king
of AEgypt remoued him, that he should not reigne in Ierusalem: 36 and he
put a taxe vpon the nation of siluer an hundred talentes, and of gold one
talent. 37 And the king of AEgypt made Ioacim his brother king of Iuda
and Ierusalem: 38 and he bound the magistrates of Ioacim, and Zaracel
his brother, and taking them brought them backe into AEgypt. 39 Ioacim
was fiue and twentie yeares old when he began to reigne in the land of
Iuda and Ierusalem: and he did euil in the sight of our Lord. 40 And
after this man came vp Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon, and binding
him with a bande of brasse, brought him into Babylon. 41 And
Nabuchodonosor tooke the sacred vessels of our Lord, and carried away,
and consecrated them in his temple in Babylon. 42 For his vncleanes, and
lacke of religion is written in the booke of the times of the kinges.
43 And Ioachin his sonne reigned for him. And when he was made king, he
was eightene yeares old. 44 And reigned three monethes and ten dayes in
Ierusalem, and did euil in the sight of our Lord: 45 and after a yeare
Nabuchodonosor sending, transported him into Babylon together with the
sacred vessels of our Lord. (4 Kings 24:13) 46 And he made Sedecias
king of Iuda and Ierusalem, when he was one and twentie yeares old:
(4 Kings 24:17) and he reigned eleuen yeares. 47 And he did euil in the
sight of our Lord, and was not afraid of the wordes which were spoken by
Ieremie the prophet from the mouth of our Lord: (Jer 37:2) 48 and being
sworne of king Nabuchodonosor, forsworne he did reuolt: and his necke
being hardened, & his hart, he transgressed the ordinances of our Lord
the God of Israel. 49 And the princes of the people of our Lord did
manie thinges wickedly, and they did impiously aboue al the vncleannes of
the nations: and they polluted the temple of our Lord that was holie of
Ierusalem. 50 And the God of their fathers sent by his messenger to
reclame them, for that he would spare them, and his tabernacle. 51 But
they scorned at his messengers: and in the day that our Lord spake to
them, they were mocking his prophetes. 52 Who was moued euen vnto wrath
vpon his nation for their impietie, and commanded the kinges of the
Chaldees to come vp. 53 These slewe their yong men with the sword, round
about their holie temple, and spared not yong man, and old man, and
virgin, and youth: 54 but al were deliuered into their handes: & taking
al the sacred vessels of our Lord, and the kinges treasures, they caried
them into Babylon, 55 and burnt the house of our Lord, and threwe downe
the walles of Ierusalem: and the towres therof they burnt with fire,
56 and consumed al their honorable thinges, and brought them to naught,
and those that were left of the sword, they led into Babylon. 57 And
they were his seruants vntil the Persians reigned in the fulfilling of
the word of our Lord by the mouth of Ieremie: (Jer 25:12 / Jer 29:10 /
Dan 9:2) 58 as long as the land quietly kept her sabbathes, al the time
of her desolation she sabbathized in the application of seuentie yeares.

CHAP. II.

Cyrus king of Persia permitteth the Iewes to returne into their countrie:
10. and deliuereth to them the holie vessels, which Nabuchodonosor had
taken from the temple. 16. Certaine aduersaries writing to king
Artaxerxes, hinder those that would repayre the ruines of Ierusalem.

CYRVS king of the Persians reigning for the accomplishment of the word of
our Lord by the mouth of Ieremie, (2 Par 36:22 / 1 Esd 1:1 / 1 Esd 6:3 /
Jer 25:12 / Jer 29:10 / Dan 9:2) 2 our Lord raysed vp the spirit of Cyrus
king of the Persians, and he proclaymed in al his kingdomes, and that by
writing, 3 saying: Thus sayth Cyrus king of the Persians: The Lord of
Israel, the high Lord, hath made me king ouer the whole earth. 4 and
hath signified to me to build him a house in Ierusalem, which is in
Iurie. 5 If there be any of your kinred, his Lord goe vp with him into
Ierusalem. 6 Whosoeuer therefore dwel about the places, let them helpe
them that are in the same place, in gold and siluer, 7 in giftes, with
horses, and beastes, and with other thinges which by vowes are added into
the temple of our Lord, which is in Ierusalem. 8 And the princes of the
tribes, of the villages and of Iurie, of the tribe of Beniamin, & the
Priestes, and the Leuites standing vp, whom our Lord moued to goe vp, and
to build the house of our Lord which is in Ierusalem, and they that were
round about them, 9 did helpe them with al their gold and siluer, and
beastes, and manie whose minde was stirred vp, with many vowes. 10 And
Cyrus the king brought forth the sacred vessel of our Lord, which
Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon transported out of Ierusalem, and
consecrated them to his Idol. 11 And Cyrus the king of Persians bringing
them forth, deliuered them to Mithridatus, who was ouer his treasures.
12 And by him they were deliuered to Salmanasar president of Iurie.
13 And of these this was the number: Cuppes for libamentes of siluer two
thousand foure hundred, basens of siluer thirtie: phials of gold
thirtie, also of siluer two thousand foure hundred: and other vessels a
thousand. 14 and al the vessels of gold and siluer, were fiue thousand
eight hundred sixtie. 15 And they were numbered to Salmanasar together
with them, that came out of the captiuite of Babylon into Ierusalem.
16 But in the times of Artaxerxes king of the Persians, there wrote to
him of them that dwelt in Iurie and Ierusalem, Balsamus, and Mithridatus,
and Sabellius, and Rathimus, Balthemus, Sabellius scribe, and the rest
dweling in Samaria, and other places the epistle folowing to king
Artaxerxes. (1 Esd 4:7) 17 SIR, thy seruantes Rathimus ouer
occurrentes, and Sabellius the scribe, and the other iudges of thy court
in Caelesyria, and Phenice. 18 And now be it knowen to our Lord the
king, that Iewes came vp from you to vs, coming into Ierusalem a
rebellious, & very naughty citie, do build the fornaces thereof, and set
vp the walles, and rayse the temple. 19 And if this citie, and the
walles shal be finished, they wil not onlie not abyde to pay tributes,
but also wil resist the kinges. 20 And because that is in doing about
the temple, we thought it should doe wel not to neglect this same thing:
21 but to make it knowen to our Lord the king, that if it shal seme good,
o king it may be sought in the bookes of thy fathers, 22 and thou shalt
find in the recordes, thinges writen of these, and thou shalt know that
this citie hath bene rebellious, and trubling kinges, and cities, 23 and
the Iewes rebelles, & making battels in it from time out of mind, for the
which cause this citie was made desolate. 24 Now therfore we doe thee to
vnderstand, Lord king, that if this citie shal be built, and the walles
therof shal be erected, there wil be no comming downe for thee into
Caelesyria, & Phenice. 25 Then wrote the king to Rathimus, the writer of
the occurrentes, and to Balthemus, and to Sabellius the scribe, and to
the rest ioyned with them, and to the dwellers in Syria, and Phenice, as
foloweth: 26 I haue read the epistle that you sent me. I commanded
therfore search to be made, & it was found that the same citie is from
the beginning rebellious to kinges, 27 and the men rebelles, and making
battels in it, & there were most valient kinges ruling in Ierusalem, and
exacting tributes in Caelesyria, & Phenice. 28 Now therfore I haue geuen
commandment to forbid those men to build the citie, and to stay them that
nothing be done more then is: 29 and that they proceeded not farder,
wherof are euils, so that there may be truble brougt vpon the kinges.
30 Then these things being read which were writen of king Artaxerxes,
Rathimus, and Sabellius the scribe, and they that were apointed with them
ioyning together in hast came to Ierusalem with a troupe of horsemen, and
multitude, & companie: 31 and they begane to forbid the builders, and
they ceased from building of the temple in Ierusalem, til in the second
yeare of the reigne of Darius king of the Persians.

CHAP. III.

After a solemne supper made to al the court, and chief princes, king
Darius sleeping: 4. three esquires of the bodie keeping watch, proposed
the question: 10. VVhether wine, or a King, or wemen, or the truth doth
excel? 17. The first prayseth wine.

KING Darius made a great supper to al his domestical seruantes, and to al
the magistrates of Media and Persia, 2 and to al that were purple, and to
the praetors, and counsuls, and liuetenantes vnder him from India vnto
AEthiopia, an hundred twentie seuen prouinces. 3 And when they had eaten
and drunken, and returned ful, then Darius went vp into his chamber, and
slept, and awaked. 4 Then those three youngmen kepers of his bodie,
which garded the kings bodie, sayd one to an other; 5 Let euerie one of
vs say a word that may excel: & whose word soeuer shal appeare wiser
then the others, to him wil king Darius geue great giftes, 6 to be
couered with purple, & to drinke in gold, and to sleepe vpon gold, & a
chariote with a bridle of gold, & a bonet of silke, and a cheyne about
his necke: 7 and he shal sit in the second place next Darius for his
wisdome. And he shal be called the cosin of Darius. 8 Then euerie one
writing his word signed it, and they put it vnder the pillow of Darius
the king, 9 and they sayd. When the king shal rise, we wil geue him our
writinges: and which soeuer of the three the king shal iudge, and the
magistrates of Persia, that his word is the wiser, to him shal the
victorie be geuen as is writen. 10 One wrote: Wine is strong. 11 An
other wrote, a King is stronger. 12 The third wrote, Wemen are more
strong: but aboue al thinges truth ouercometh. 13 And when the king was
risen, they tooke their writinges, and gaue him, and he read. 14 And
sending he called al the Magistrates of Persians, and the Medes, and them
that weare purple, and the pretors, and the ouerseers; 15 and they sate
in the councel: and the writinges were read before them. 16 And he
sayd: Cal the youngmen, and they shal declare their owne wordes. And
they were called, and went in. 17 And he sayd to them: Declare vnto vs
concerning these thinges which are writen. And the first began, he that
had spoken of the strength of wine, 18 and sayd: O ye men, how doth wine
preuaile ouer al men that drinke! it seduceth the minde. 19 And also
the mind of king and orphane it maketh vaine. Also of the bondman and
the free, of the rich man and the poore, 20 and euerie mind it turneth
into securitie and pleasantnes, and it remembreth not any sorow and
dewtie, 21 and al hartes it maketh honest, and it remembreth not king,
nor magistrate, and it maketh a man speake al thinges by talentes.
22 And when they haue drunke, they remember not frendship, nor
brotherhood: yea and not long after they take swordes. 23 And when they
are recouered and risen from the wine, they remember not what they haue
done. 24 O ye men, doth not wine excel? who thinketh to doe so? And
hauing sayd this, he held his peace.

CHAP. IIII.

The second prayseth the excellencie of a king: 13. The third (which is
Zorobabel) commendeth wemen: 33. but preferreth truth aboue al.
41. VVhich is so approued, and he is rewarded. 42. The king moreouer at
his request restoreth the holie vessels of the temple, and granteth
meanes to build the citie of Ierusalem, and the temple.

AND the next began to speake, he that spake of the strength of a king.
2 O ye men doe not the men excel, which obteyne land and sea, and al
thinges that are in them? 3 But a king excelleth aboue al thinges, and
hath dominion ouer them: and euerie thing whatsoeuer he shal say to
them, they doe. 4 And if he send them to warryers, they goe, and throw
downe mountaines, and the walles, and towers. 5 They kil, and are
killed: and the kinges word they transgresse not. For if they shal
ouercome, they bring to the king al thinges whatsoeuer they haue taken
for a praye. 6 In like maner also al others, for so many as are not
souldiars, nor fight, but til the ground: when they shal reape, againe
they bring tributes to the king. 7 And he being one onlie if he say:
Kil ye, they kil: say he: forgeue, the forgeue. 8 say he: strike:
they strike: say he, destroy, they destroy: say he build, they build.
9 say he, cut downe, they cut downe, say he plant, they plant: 10 and al
the people, & potestates here him, and beside this he sitteth downe, and
drinketh, and sleepeth. 11 And others gard him round about, and can not
goe euerie one, and doe their owne workes, but at a word are obedient to
him. 12 O ye men, how doth not a king excel that is so renowmed? And he
held his peace. 13 The third that spake of wemen and truth, this is
Zorobabel, began to speake. 14 O ye men, not the great king, & many men,
neither is it wine that dothe excel. Who is it then that hath the
dominion of them? 15 Haue not wemen brought forth the king, and al the
people, that ruleth ouer land & sea: 16 and were they not borne of them,
and did not they bring vp them which planted the vineyardes, whereof wine
is made? 17 And they make the garmentes of al men, & they doe honor to
al men, and men can not be separed from wemen. 18 If they haue gathered
gold and siluer, and euerie beutiful thing, & see a woman comelie and
fayre, 19 leauing al these thinges they fixe their looke vpon her, & with
open mouth beholde her, and allure her more then gold and siluer, and
euerie precious thing. 20 Man forsaketh his father that brought him vp,
and his countrie, and ioyneth himself to a woman. 21 And with a woman he
refresheth his soul: and neither doth he remember father, nor mother,
nor countrie. 22 And hereby you must know that wemen rule ouer you. Are
you not sorie? 23 And a man taketh his sword, & goeth into the way to
commit theftes and murders, & to sayle seas & riuers, 24 and seeth a
lyon, and goeth in darkenes: and when he hath committed theft, and
fraude, and spoyles, he bringeth it to his beloued. 25 And againe, man
loueth his wife more then father or mother. 26 And many haue become
madde for their wiues: and haue been made bondmen for them: 27 and many
haue perished and bene slayne, and haue sinned for wemen. 28 And now
beleue me, that the king is great in his powre: because al countries are
afrayd to touch him. 29 Neuertheles I saw Apemes the daughter of Bezaces
the concubine of a meruelous king, sitting by the king at his right hand,
30 and taking of the crowne from his head, and putting it vpon her self,
and with the palme of her left hand she stroke the king. 31 And beside
these thinges he with open mouth beheld her: and if she smiled he
laugheth, and if she be angrie with him, he flattereth, til he be
reconciled to her fauour. 32 O ye men, why are not wemen stronger?
Great is the earth, and high is the heauen: who doeth these thinges?
33 And then the king and they that weare purple looked one vpon an other.
And he began to speake of truth. 34 O ye men, are not wemen strong? The
earth is great and heauen is high: & the swift course of the sunne
turneth the heauen round into his place in one day. 35 Is not he
magnifical that doth these thinges, and the truth great, and stronger
aboue al thinges? 36 Al the earth calleth vpon the truth, heauen also
blesseth it, and al workes are moued, and tremble at it, and there is not
any thing with it vniust. 37 Wine is vniust, the king is vniust, wemen
are vniust, al the sonnes of men are vniust, and al their workes are
vniust, and in them is not truth, and they shal perish in their
iniquitie: 38 and truth abydeth, and groweth strong for euer, and
liueth, and preuayleth for euer and euer. 39 Neither is there with it
acception of persons, nor differences: but the thinges that are iust it
doth to al men, to the vniust and malignant, and al men are wel pleased
in the workes thereof. 40 And there is no vniust thing in the iudgement
therof, but strength, and reigne, and power, and maiestie of worldes.
Blessed be the God of truth. 41 And he left speaking. And al the people
cryed, and sayd: Great is truth and it preuaileth. 42 Then the king
sayd to him: Aske, if thou wilt any more, then the thinges that are
writen, and I wil geue it thee, according as thou art found wiser then
thy neighbours, & thou shalt sitte next to me, and shalt be called my
cosin. 43 Then sayd he to the king: Be midful of thy vow, which thou
hast vowed, to build Ierusalem in the day that thou didst receiue the
kingdom: 44 and to send backe al the vessels that were taken out of
Ierusalem, which Cyrus separated, when he sacked Babylon, and would haue
sent them backe thither. 45 And thou hast vowed to build the temple,
which the Idumeians burnt, when Iurie was destroyed of the Chaldees.
46 And now this is that which I aske Lord, & which I desire, this is the
maiestie which I desire of thee, that thou performe the vowe which thou
hast vowed to the king of heauen by thy mouth. 47 Then Darius the king
rising vp, kissed him: and wrote letters to al the officers, and
ouerseers, and them that weare purple, that they should conduct him, and
them that were with him, al going vp to build Ierusalem. 48 And to al
the ouerseers that were in Syria, and Phoenice, and Libanus he wrote
letters, that they should draw Ceder trees from Libanus into Ierusalem,
to build the citie with them. 49 And he wrote to al the Iewes which went
vp from the kingdome into Iurie for libertie, euerie mightie man, &
magistrate, & ouerseer not to come vpon them to their gates, 50 and al
the countrie which they had obtayned to be free vnto them, & that the
Idumeians leaue the castels which they possesse of the Iewes, 51 and to
the building of the temple to geue euerie yeare twentie talentes vntil it
were throughly built: 52 & vpon the altars to burne holocausts dayly, as
they haue commandment: to offer other ten talentes euery yeare, 53 & to
al that go forth from Babylon to build the citie, that there should be
libertie as wel to them as to their children, and to al the priestes that
goe before. 54 And he wrote a quantitie also, and commanded the sacred
stole to be geuen, wherein they should serue; 55 and to the Leuites he
wrote to geue preceptes, vntil the day wherein the house shal be
finished, and Ierusalem builded. 56 And to al that kepe the citie, he
wrote portions and wages to be geuen to them. 57 And he sent away al the
vessels whatsoeuer Cyrus had separated from Babylon, and al thinges
whatsoeuer Cyrus sayd, he also commanded to be donne, and to be sent to
Ierusalem. 58 And when that yong man was gone forth, lyfting vp his face
toward Ierusalem, he blessed the king of heauen, 59 & sayd: Of thee is
victorie, and of thee is wisdome, and glorie. And I am thy seruant.
60 Blessed art thou which hast geuen me wisedom, and I wil confesse to
thee Lord God of our fathers. 61 And he toke the letters, and went into
Babylon. And he came, and told al his brethren that were in Babylon:
62 and they blessed the God of their fathers, because he gaue them
remission and refreshing, 63 that they should goe vp and build Ierusalem,
and the temple wherein his name was renowmed, and they reioyced with
musike and ioy seuen dayes.

CHAP. V.

Those that returned from captiuitie of Bablyon into Ierusalem, and Iurie,
are recited. 47. They restore Gods seruice: 66. but are hindered from
building.

AFTER these thinges there were chosen, to goe vp the princes of townes by
their houses, and tribes, and their wiues, and their sonnes and
daughters, and their men seruantes and wemen seruantes, and their cattel.
(1 Esd 2:1) 2 And Darius the king sent together with them a thousand
horsmen, til they conducted them to Ierusalem with peace, & with musicke
& with tymbrels, and shaulmes: 3 and al the brethren were playing, and
he made them goe vp together with them. 4 And these are the names of the
men that went vp by their townes according to tribes, and according to
the portion of their principalitie. 5 Priestes: The children of
Phinees, the sonne of Aaron, Iesus the sonne of Iosedec, Ioacim the sonne
of Zorobabel, the sonne of Salatheil of the house of Dauid, of the
progenie of Phares, of the tribe of Iuda. 6 Who spake vnder Darius king
of the Persians the meruelous wordes in the second yeare of his reigne
the first moneth Nisan. 7 And they are these, that of Iurie came vp from
the captiuitie of the transmigration, whom Nabuchodonosor the king of
Babylon transported into Babylon, and returned into Ierusalem.
(1 Esd 2:2 / 2 Esd 7:6) 8 And euerie one sought a part of Iurie
according to his owne citie, they that came with Zorobabel, and Iesus,
Nehemias, Areores, Elimeo, Emmanio, Mardocheo, Beelsuro, Mechpsatochor,
Olioro, Emonia one of their princes. 9 And the number of them of the
same nation, of their rulers the children of Phares, two thousand an
hundred seuentie two: 10 The children of Ares, three thousand an hundred
fiftie seuen: 11 The children of Phoemo, an hundred fourtie two: in the
children of Iesus and Ioabes, a thousand three hundred two: 12 the
children of Demu, two thousand foure hundred seuentie: the children of
Choraba, two hundred fiue: the children of Banica, an hundred sixtie
eight, 13 the children of Bebech, foure hundred three: the children of
Archad, foure hundred twentie seuen: 14 the children of Cham, thirtie
seuen: the children of Zoroar, two thousand sixtie seuen: the children
of Adin, foure hundred sixtie one: 15 the children of Aderectes, an
hundred eight: the children of Ciaso and Zelas an hundred seuen: the
children of Azoroc, foure hundred thirtie nine: 16 the children of
Iedarbone, an hundred thirtie two: the children of Ananias, an hundred
thirtie: the children of Asoni, ninetie: 17 the children of Marsar,
foure hundred twentie two: the children of Zabarus, nintie fiue: the
children of Sepolemon, an hundred twentie three: 18 the children of
Nepopas, fiftie fiue: the children of Hechanatus, an hundred fiftie
eight: the children of Cebethamus, an hundred thirite two: 19 the
children of Crearpatros, which are of Enocadie and Modia, foure hundred
twentie three: they of Gramas and Babea, an hundred twentie one.
20 They of Besselon, and Ceagge, sixtie fiue: they of Bastraro, an
hundred twentie two: 21 they of Bechenobes, fiftie fiue: the children
of Liptis, an hundred fiftie fiue: the children of Labonni, three
hundred fiftie seuen: 22 the children of Sichem, three hundred seuentie:
the children of Suadon, & Cliomus, three hundred seuentie eight: 23 the
children of Ericus, two thousand an hundred fourtie fiue: the children
of Anaas, three hundred seuentie. The priestes: 24 the children of
Ieddus, the sonne of Euther, the sonne of Eliasib, three hundred seuenty
two: the children of Emerus, two hundred fiftie two: 25 the children of
Phasurius, three hundred fiftie seuen the children of Caree, two hundred
twentie seuen. 26 The Leuites: The children of Iesus in Caduhel, and
Bamis, and Serebias, and Edias, seuentie foure, the whole number from the
twelfth yeare, thiritie thousand foure hundred sixtie two. 27 The
sonnes, and daughters, and wiues, the whole number, fourtie thousand two
hundred fourtie two. 28 The children of the Priestes, that sang in the
temple: the children of Asaph, an hundred twentie eight. 29 And the
porters: the children of Esmeni, the children of Azer, the children of
Amon, the children of Accuba, of Topa, the children of Tobi, al an
hundred thirtie nine. 30 Priestes that serued in the temple: the
children of Sel, the children of Gaspha, the children of Tobloch, the
children of Caria, the children of Su, the children of Hellu, the
children of Lobana, the children of Armacha, the children of Accub, the
children of Vtha, the children of Cetha, the children of Aggab, the
children of Obai, the children of Anani, the children of Canna, the
children of Geddu, 31 the children or An, the children of Radin, the
children of Desanon, the children of Nachoba, the children of Caseba, the
children of Gaze, the children of Ozui, the children of Sinone, the
children of Attre, the children of Hasten, the children of Asiana, the
children of Manei, the children of Nasissim, the children of Acusu, the
children of Agista, the children of Azui, the children of Fauon, the
children of Phasalon, 32 the children of Meedda, the children of Phusa,
the children of Caree, the children of Burcus, the children of Saree, the
children of Coesi, the children of Nasith, the children of Agisti, the
children of Pedon. 33 Salomon his children, the children of Asophot, the
children of Phasida, the children of Celi, the children of Dedon, the
children of Gaddehel, the children of Sephegi, 34 the children of Aggia,
the children of Sachareth, the children of Sabathen, the children of
Caroneth, the children of Malsith, the children of Ama, the children of
Sasus, the children of Addus, the children of Suba, the children of Eura,
the children of Rahotis, the children of Phasphat, the children of
Malmon. 35 Al that serued the sanctuarie, and the seruantes of Salomon,
foure hundred eightie two. 36 These are the children that came vp from
Thelmela, Thelharsa: the princes of them, Carmellam, and Careth: 37 and
they could not declare their cities, and their progenies, how they are of
Israel. The children of Dalari, the children of Tubal, the children of
Nechodaici, 38 of the Priestes, that did the function of priesthood: and
there were not found the children of Obia, the children of Achisos, the
children of Addin, who tooke a wife of the daughters of Pargeleu: 39 and
they were called by his name, and the writing of the kinred of these was
sought in the register, and it was not found, and they were forbid to doe
the function of priesthood. 40 And Nehemias and Astharus sayd to them:
Let not the holie thinges be participated, til there arise a hiegh priest
lerned for declaration and truth. 41 And al Israel was beside men
seruantes, and wemen seruantes, fourtie two thousand three hundred
fourtie. 42 Their men seruantes and wemen seruantes, seuen thousand
three hundred thirtie seuen. Singing men and singing wemen, two hundred
three score fiue. 43 Camels, foure hundred thiritie fiue. Horses, seuen
thousand thirtie six. Mules, two hundred thousand fourtie fiue. Beastes
vnder yoke, fiue thousand twentie fiue. 44 And of the rulers themselues
by their villages, when they came into the temple of God, which was in
Ierusalem, to renew and raise vp the temple in his place, according to
their power: 45 and to be geuen into the temple to the sacred treasure
of the workes, of gold twelue thousand mnas, and fiue thousand mnas of
siluer, and stoles for Priestes an hundred. 46 And the Priestes and
Leuites, and they that came out of the people, dwelt in Ierusalem, and in
the countrie, and the sacred singingmen, and porters, and al Israel in
their countries. 47 And the seuenth moneth being at hand, and when the
children of Israel were euerie man in his owne affayres, they came
together with one minde into the court, that was before the east gate.
(1 Esd 3:1) 48 And Iesus the sonne of Iosedec, and his brethren the
priestes: Zorobabel the sonne of Salathiel, and his brethren standing
vp, prepared an altar, 49 that they might offer vpon it holocaustes,
according to the thinges that are writen in the booke of Moyses the man
of God. 50 And there assembled there of other nations of the land, and
al the nations of the land erected the altar in his place, and they
offered hostes, and morning holocaustes to our Lord. 51 And they
celebrated the feast of Tabernacles, and the solemne day, as it is
commanded in the lawe: and sacrifices dayly, as it behoued: 52 and
after these the appointed oblations, and the hostes of the sabbathes, and
of the newmoones, and of al the solemne sanctified dayes. 53 And as
manie as vowed to our Lord from the new moone of the seuenth moneth,
began to offer the hostes to God, and the temple of our Lord was not yet
built. 54 And they gaue monie to the masones and workemen, and drinke
and victuals with ioy. 55 And they gaue cartes to the Sidonians, and
Tyrianes, that with them they should carie ceder beames from Lybanus, and
should make boates in the hauen Ioppe, according to the decre that was
writen for them by Cyrus king of the Persians. 56 And in the second
yeare coming into the temple of God in Ierusalem, in the second moneth
began Zorobel the sonne of Salathiel, and Iosue the sonne of Iosedec, and
their bretheren, and the Priestes and Leuites, and al that were come from
the captiuitie into Ierusalem. 57 and they founded the temple of God in
the newmoone of the second moneth of the second yeare, after that they
came into Iurie and Ierusalem. 58 And they appoynted the Leuites from
twentie yeares, ouer the workes of our Lord: and Iesus stood and his
sonne, and the bretheren, al Leuites ioyning together, & executors of the
lawe, doing the workes in the house of our Lord. 59 And al the Priestes
stood, hauing stoles with trumpettes: 60 and Leuites the children of
Asaph, hauing cymbals together praysing our Lord, and blessing him
according to Dauid king of Israel. 61 And they song a song to our Lord,
because his sweetenes, and honour is for euer vpon Israel. 62 And al the
people sounded with trumpet, and cried out with a loud voice, praysing
our Lord in the raysing vp of the house of our Lord. 63 And there came
of the Priestes and Leuites, and presidentes by their villages the more
ancientes, which had sene the old house: 64 and to the building of this
with crie and great lamentation, and manie with trumpettes and great ioy:
65 in so much that the people heard not the trumpettes for the
lamentatinon of the people. For the multitude was sounding with
trumpettes magnifically, so that it was heard far of. 66 And the enimes
of the tribe of Iuda, and Beniamin heard it, and they came to knowe what
the voyce of the trumpettes was: 67 And they knew that they which were
of the captiuitie doe build a temple to our Lord the God of Israel.
68 And coming to Zorobabel & Iesus, the ouerseers of the villages, they
sayd to them: We will build together with you: (1 Esd 4:2) 69 For we
haue in like maner heard your Lord, & we walke like from the dayes of
Asbazareth king of the Assyrians, who transported vs hither. 70 And
Zorobabel, and Iesus, & the princes of the villages of Israel, sayd to
them: 71 It is not for vs and you to build the house of our God. For we
alone wil build to our Lord of Israel according as Cyrus the king of the
Persians hath commanded. 72 And the nations of the land lying vpon them
that are in Iurie, and lifting vp the worke of the building, and bringing
ambushmentes, and peoples, prohibited them to build. 73 and practising
assaultes hindred them, that the building might not be finished al the
time of the life of king Cyrus, and they differred the building for two
yeares vntil the reigne of Darius.

CHAP. VI.

The Iewes by assistance of king Darius build vp the Temple in Ierusalem.

AND in the second yeare of the reigne of Darius prophecied Aggeus, and
Zacharias the sonne of Addo the prophet to Iurie and Ierusalem in the
name of God of Israel vpon them. (1 Esd 5:1) 2 Then Zorobabel the sonne
of Salathiel standing vp, and Iesus the sonne of Iosedec begane to build
the house of our Lord, which is in Ierusalem. 3 When the prophetes of
our Lord were present with them, and did helpe them. At the same time
came Sisennes to them, the deputie of Syria, and of Phenice, and
Satrabuzanes, and his felowes: 4 and they sayd to them: By whose
commandment, build ye this house, and this roofe, and perfite al other
thinges? And who are the workmen that build these thinges? 5 And the
ancientes of the Iewes, which were left of the captiuitie by our Lord,
had fauoure when the visitation was made vpon them. 6 And they were not
hindered from building, til it was signified to Darius of al these
thinges, and answer was receiued. 7 A copie of the letter, which they
sent to Darius. SISENNES deputie of Syria and Phenice, and Satrabuzanes,
and his felowes in Syria and Phenice presidents, to king Darius
greetings: 8 Be al thinges knowen to our Lord the king, that when we
came into the countrie of Iurie, and had entered into Ierusalem, we found
them building the great house of God. 9 And the temple of polished
stones, and of great and precious matter in the walles. 10 And the
workes to be a doing earnestly, and to succede, and prosper in their
handes, and in al glorie to be perfited most diligently. 11 Then we
asked the ancients saying, by whose permission build ye this house, &
found these workes? 12 And therfore we asked them, that we might doe
thee to know the men & the ouerseers, and we required of them a rolle of
the names of the ouerseers. 13 But they answered vs saying: We are the
seruantes of the Lord, which made heauen and earth. 14 And this house
was built these manie yeares past by a king of Israel, that was great and
most valiant, and was finished. 15 And because our fathers were
prouoking to wrath, and sinned agaynst God of Israel, he deliuered them
into the handes of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon, king of the
Chaldees. 16 And throwing downe this house they burnt it, and they led
the people captiue into Babylon. 17 In the first yeare when Cyrus
reigned the king of Babylon, Cyrus the king wrote to build this house.
18 And these sacred vessels of gold and siluer which Nabuchodonosor had
taken out of the house which is in Ierusalem, and had consecrated them in
his owne temple, Cyrus brought them forth agayne out of the temple which
was in Babylon, and they were deliuered to Zorobabel, & to Salmanasar the
deputie. 19 And it was commanded them that they should offer these
vessels, & lay them vp in the temple, which was in Ierusalem, and build
the temple of God itself in his place. 20 Then did Salmanasar lay the
fundations of the house of our Lord, which is in Ierusalem: and from
that time vntil now it is a building, and is not accomplished. 21 Now
therfore if thou thincke it good o king, let it be sought in the kings
liberaries of Cyrus the king, which are in Babylon: 22 and if it shal be
found, that the building of the house of the Lord, which is in Ierusalem,
begane by the counsel of Cyrus the king, and it be thought good of our
Lord the king, let him write to vs of these thinges. 23 Then Darius the
king commanded search to be made in the libraries: and there was found
in Ecbatana a towne that is in the countrie of Media, one place wherin
were writen these wordes: (1 Esd 6:1) 24 IN THE FIRST YEARE of the
reigne of Cyrus, king Cyrus commanded to build the house of the Lord
which is in Ierusalem, where they did burne incense with dayly fire,
25 the height wherof shal be of ten cubits, & the bredth three score
cubites, foure square with three stones polished, and with a loft galerie
of wood of the same countrie, & one new galerie, and the expenses to be
geuen out of the house of Cyrus the king. 26 And the sacred vesseles of
the house of the Lord, as wel of gold as of siluer, which Nabuchodonosor
tooke from the house of our Lord, which is in Ierusalem where they were
layed, that they be put there: 27 And he commanded Sisennes the deputie
of Syria & Phoenice, and Satrabuzanes, and his felowes & them that were
ordayned presidentes in Syria & Phoenice, that they should refraine
themselues from that place. 28 And I also haue geuen commandment to
build it wholly: and haue prouided, that they helpe them, which are of
the captiuitie of the Iewes, til the temple of the house of the Lord be
accomplished. 29 And from the vexation of the tributes of Coelesyria &
Phoenice, a quantitie to be geuen diligently to these men for the
sacrifice of the Lord, to Zorobabel the gouernour, for oxen, and rammes,
and lambes. 30 And in like maner corne also, and salt, and wine, and
oyle continually yeare by yeare, according as the priestes which are in
Ierusalem, haue prescribed to be spent dayly: 31 that libamentes may be
offered to the most high God for the king & his children, & that they may
pray for their life. 32 And that it be denounced, that whosoeuer shal
transgresse anie thing of these which are writen, or shal despise it, a
beame be taken of theyr owne, & they be hanged, & their goodes be
confiscate to the king. 33 Therfore the Lord also, whose name is
inuocated there, destroy euery king & nation, that shal extend their hand
to hinder or to handle il the house of the Lord which is in Ierusalem.
34 I Darius the king haue decreed that it be most diligently done
according to these thinges.

CHAP. VII.

The house of God is finished, 7. and dedicated, 10. the feast of Pasch is
also celebrated seuen dayes with Azimes.

THEN Sisennes the deputie of Coelesyria, and Phaenice, and Satrabuzames,
and their felowes, obeying those thinges which were decreed of Darius the
king, (1 Esd 6:13) 2 applied the sacred workes most diligently, working
together with the ancientes of the Iewes, the princes of Syria. 3 And
the sacred workes prospered, Aggeus & Zacharias the prophetes
prophecying. 4 And they accomplished al thinges by the precept of our
Lord the God of Israel, and by the counsel of Cyrus, & Darius, and
Artaxerxes the king of the Persians. 5 And our house was a finishing
vntil the three and twentith day of the moneth of Adar, the sixth yeare
of Darius the king. 6 And the children of Israel, and the Priestes and
Leuites, and the rest that were of the captiuitie, which were added did
according to those thinges that are written in the booke of Moyses.
7 And they offered for the dedication of the temple of our Lord, oxen an
hundred, rammes two hundred, lambes foure hundred. 8 And kiddes for the
sinnes of al Israel, twelue, according to the number of the tribes of
Israel. 9 And the Priestes and Leuites stood clothed with stoles by
tribes, ouer al the workes of our Lord the God of Israel, according to
the booke of Moyses, and the porters at euerie gate. 10 And the children
of Israel, wih them that were of the captiuitie celebrated the phase of
the fourtenth moone of the first moneth, when the Priestes and Leuites
were sanctified. 11 Al the children of the captiuitie were not
sanctified together, because al the Leuites were sanctified together.
12 And al the children of the captuitie immolated the phase, both for
their brethren the Priestes, and for them selues. 13 And the children of
Israel did eate, they that were of the captiuitie al that remayned apart
from al the abominations of the nations of the land seeking our Lord.
14 And they celebrated the festiual day of Azymes seuen dayes feasting in
the sight of our Lord. 15 Because he turned the counsel of the king of
the Assirians toward them, to strengthen their handes to the workes of
our Lord the God of Israel.

CHAP. VIII.

Esdras going from Babylon to Ierusalem, 9. carieth king Artaxerxes
fauourable letters, 14. with licence to take gold, siluer, and al thinges
necessarie at their pleasure. 31. The chief men that goe with him are
recited. 51. He voweth a fast praying for good success in their iorney.
56. weigheth the gold and siluer, which he deliuereth to the Priestes,
and Leuites. 69. And seuerely admonisheth the people to repentance, for
their mariages made with infideles.

AND after him when Artaxerxes king of the Persians reigned, came Esdras
the sonne of Azarias, the sonne of Helcias the sonne of Salome,
(1 Esd 7:1) 2 the sonne of Sadoc, the sonne of Achitob, the sonne of
Ameri, the sonne of Azahel, the sonne of Bocci, the sonne of Abisue, the
sonne of Phinees the sonne of Eleazar, the sonne of Aaron the first
priest. 3 This Esdras came vp from Babylon being scribe & wise in the
law of Moyses, which was geuen of our Lord the God of Israel to teach and
to doe. 4 And the king gaue him glorie, because he had found grace in al
dignitie and desire in his sight. 5 And there went vp with him of the
children of Israel, and the Priestes, and the Leuites, and the sacred
singers of the temple, and the porters, and the seuantes of the temple
into Ierusalem. 6 In the seuenth yeare when Artaxerxes reigned in the
fifth moneth, this is the seuenth yeare of his reigne, going forth of
Babylon in the newmoone of the fifth moneth, 7 they came to Ierusalem
according to his commandment, according to the prosperitie of their
iourney, which their Lord gaue them. 8 For in these Esdras had great
knowlege, that he would not pretermitte anie of those thinges, which were
according to the law, and the preceptes of our Lord, and in teaching al
Israel al iusticie and iudgement. 9 And they that wrote the writinges of
Araxerxes the king, coming deliuered the writing which was granted of
Artaxerxes the king to Esdras the Priest, & the reader of the law of our
Lord, the copie wherof here foloweth. 10 KING Artaxerxes to Esdras the
Priest, and reader of the law of the Lord, greeting. 11 I of curtesie
esteming it among benifites, haue commanded them that of their owne
accord are desirous of the nation of the Iewes, and of the Priestes and
Leuites, which are in my kingdom, to goe with thee into Ierusalem. 12 If
anie therfore desire to goe with thee, let them come together, and set
forward as it hath pleased me, and my seuen freindes my counselers:
13 that they may visite those thinges which are done touching Iurie and
Ierusalem, obseruing as thou hast in the law of the Lord. 14 And let
them carie the giftes to the Lord the God of Israel, which I haue vowed
and my freindes to Ierusalem, and al the gold and siluer, that shal be
found in the countrie of Babylon to the Lord in Ierusalem, with that,
15 which is geuen for the nation it self vnto the temple of their Lord
which is in Ierusalem: that this gold and siluer be gathered for oxen,
and rammes, and lambes, and kiddes, and for the thinges that are agreable
to these, 16 that they may offer hostes to the Lord vpon the altar of
their Lord, which is in Ierusalem. 17 And al thinges whatsoeuer thou
with thy brethren wilt doe with gold and siluer, doe it at thy pleasure
according to the precept of the Lord thy God. 18 And the sacred vessels,
which are geuen thee to the workes of the house of the Lord thy God,
which is in Ierusalem. 19 And other thinges whatsoeuer shal helpe thee
to the workes of the temple of thy God, thou shalt geue it out of the
kings treasure. 20 When thou with thy brethren wilt doe ought with gold
and siluer, doe according to the wil of the Lord. 21 And I king
Artaxerxes haue geuen commandment to the keepers of the treasure of Syria
and Phaenice, that what thinges soeuer Esdras the Priest and reader of
the law of the Lord, shal write for, they geue him vnto an hundred
talentes of siluer, likewise also of gold. 22 And vnto an hundred
measures of corne, & an hundred vessels of wine, and other thinges
whatsoeuer abound without taxing. 23 Let al thinges be done to the most
high God according to the law of God, lest perhaps there arise wrath in
the reigne of the king, and of his sonne, and his sonnes. 24 And to you
it is sayd, that vpon al the Priestes, and Leuites, and sacred singers,
and seruantes of the temple, & scribes of this temple 25 no tribute, nor
any other taxe be sette, and that no man haue auctoritie to obiect any
thing to them. 26 But thou Esdras according to the wisedom of God
appoynt iudges, and arbitrers in al Syria and Phaenice: and teach al
them that know no the law of thy God: 27 that whosoeuer shal transgresse
the law, they be diligently punished either with death, or with torment,
or els with a forfeite of money, or with banishment. 28 And Esdras the
scribe sayd: Blessed be the God of our fathers, which hath geuen this
wil into the kings hart, to glorifie his house, which is in Ierusalem.
29 And hath honoured me in the sight of the king, and of his counselers,
and freindes, and them that weare purple. 30 And I was made constant in
minde according to the ayde of our Lord my God, and gathered together of
Israel men, that should goe vp together with me. 31 And these are the
princes according to their kindredes, and seueral principalities of them
that came vp from Babylon the kingdom of Artaxerxes. (1 Esd 8:1) 32 Of
the children of Phares, Gerfomus: and of the children of Siemarith,
Amenus: of the children of Dauid, Acchus the sonne of Scecilia: 33 Of
the children of Phares, Zacharias, and with him returned an hundred
fiftie men. 34 Of the children of leader Moabilion, Zaraei, and with him
two hundred fiftie men: 35 Of the children of Zachues, Iechonias of
Zechoel, and with him two hundred fiftie men: 36 of the children of
Sala, Maasias of Gotholia, & with him seuentie men: 37 of the children
of Saphatia, Zarias of Michel, and with him eightie men: 38 of the
children of Iob, Abdias of Iehel, and with him two hundred twelue men:
39 of the children of Bania, Salimoth, the sonne of Iosaphia, and with
him an hundred sixtie men: 40 of the children of Beer, Zacharias Bebei,
and with him two hundred eight men: 41 of the children of Ezead, Ioannes
of Eccetan, and with him an hundred ten men: 42 of the children of
Adonicam, which were last, and these are their names, Eliphalam the sonne
of Gebel, and Semeias, and with him seuentie men. 43 And I gathered them
together to the riuer that is called Thia, and we camped there three
dayes, and vewed them againe. 44 And of the children of the Priestes and
Leuites I found not there. 45 And I sent to Eleazarus, and Eccelon, and
Masman, and Maloban, and Enaathan, and Samea, and Ioribum, Nathan,
Enuaugam, Zacharias, and Mosolam the leaders them selues, and that were
skilful. 46 And I sayd to them that they should come to Loddeus, who was
at the place of the treasurie. 47 And I commanded them to say to
Loddeus, and his brethren, and to them that were in the treasurie, that
they should send vs them that might doe the function of priesthood in the
house of the Lord our God. 48 And they brought vnto vs according to the
mightie hand of the Lord our God cunning men: of the children of Moholi,
the sonne of Leui, the sonne of Israel, Sebebia, & his sonnes and
brethren, which were eightene: 49 Asbia, and Amin of the sonnes of the
children of Chananeus, and their children twentie men. 50 And of them
that serued the temple, whom Dauid gaue, and the princes themselues to
the ministerie of the Leuites of them that serued the temple, two hundred
twentie. Al their names were signified in writings. 51 And I vowed
there a fast to the yong men in the sight of God, that I might aske of
him a good iourney for vs, and them that were with vs, and for the
children, and the cattel because of ambushementes. 52 For I was ashamed
to aske of the king footemen and horsemen in my companie, to guard vs,
against our aduersaries. 53 For we sayd to the king that the power of
our Lord wil be with them that seeke him with al affection. 54 And
agayne we besought the Lord our God according to these thinges: whom
also we had propicious, and we obteyned of our God. 55 And I separated
of the rulers of the people, and of the Priestes of the temple, twelue
men, and Sedebia, and Asanna, and with them of their brethren ten men.
56 And I weyed to them the gold and siluer, and the vessels of the house
of our God perteyning to the Priestes, which the king had geuen, and his
counselers, and the princes, and al Israel. 57 And when I had weyed it,
I deliuered of siluer an hundred fiftie talentes, and siluer vessels of
an hundred talentes, and of gold an hundred talentes. 58 And of vessels
of gold seuen score and twelue brasen vessels good of shyning brasse,
resembling the forme of gold. 59 And I sayd to them: You are also
sanctified to our Lord, and the vessels be holie, and the gold and siluer
is vowed to our Lord the God of our fathers. 60 Watch and keepe, til you
deliuer them to some of the rulers of the people, and to the Priestes,
and Leuites, and to the princes of the cities of Israel in Ierusalem, in
the treasurie of the house of our God. 61 And those Priestes and Leuites
that receiued the gold and siluer and vessels, brought it to Ierusalem
into the temple of our Lord. 62 And we went forward from the riuer Thia,
the twelfth day of the first moneth, til we entred into Ierusalem.
63 And when the third day was come, in the fourth day the gold being
weyed, and the siluer, was deliuered in the house of the Lord our God, to
Marimoth Priest the sonne of Iori. 64 And with him was Eleazar the sonne
of Phinees: and with them were Iosadus the sonne of Iesus, and Medias,
and Banni the sonne of a Leuite, by number and weight al thinges. 65 And
the weight of them was writen the same houre. 66 And they that came out
of the captiuitie, offered sacrifice to our Lord the God of Israel, oxen
twelue, for al Israel, rammes eightie six, 67 lambes seuentie two, bucke
goates for sinne twelue, and for health twelue kyne, al for the sacrifice
of our Lord. 68 And they read againe the preceptes of the king to the
kinges officers, and to the deputies of Coelesyria, and Phoenice: and
they honored the nation, and the temple of our Lord. 69 And these
thinges being finished, the rulers came to me, saying: The stocke of
Isreal, and the princes, and the Priestes, and the Leuites, (1 Esd 9:1)
70 and the strange people, and nations of the land haue not separated
their vncleannes from the Chananeites, and Hetheites, and Pherezeites,
and Iebuseites, and Moobites, & AEgyptians, and Idumeians. 71 For they
are ioyned to their daughters both themselues, and their sonnes: and the
holie sede is mingled with the strange nations of the earth, and the
rulers and magistrates were partakers of that iniquitie from the
beginning of the reigne it self. 72 And forthwith as I heard these
thinges, I rent my garmentes and sacred tunike: and tearing the heares
of my head, and my beard, I sate sorowful and heauie. 73 And there
assembled to me mourning vpon this iniquitie, as manie as were then moued
by the word of our Lord the God of Israel, and I sate sad vntil the
euening sacrifice. 74 And I rising vp from fasting, hauing my garmentes
rent and the sacred tunike, kneeling, and stretching forth my handes to
our Lord, 75 I sayd: Lord I am confounded, and ashamed before thy face,
76 for our sinnes are multiplied ouer our heades, and our iniquities are
exalted euen to heauen. 77 Because from the times of our fathers we are
in great sinne vnto this day. 78 And for the sinnes of vs, and of our
fathers we haue bene deliuered with our brethren, and with our Priestes
to the kinges of the earth, into sword and captiuitie, and spoile with
confusion vnto this present day. 79 And now what a great thing is this
that mercie hath happened to vs from thee o Lord God, & leaue thou vnto
vs a roote, and a name in the place of thy sanctification, 80 to discouer
our light in the house of the Lord our God, to geue vs meate in al the
time of our bondage. 81 And when we serued, we were not forsaken of the
Lord our God: but he sette vs in fauour, appointing the kinges of the
Persians to geue us meate, 82 and to glorifie the temple of the Lord our
God, and to build the desolations of Sion, to geue vs stabilitie in
Iurie, and Ierusalem. 83 And now what say we Lord, hauing these thinges?
For we haue transgressed thy preceptes, which thou gauest into the handes
of thy seruantes the prophetes, 84 saying: That the land into which ye
entred to possesse the inheritance therof, is a land polluted with the
coinquinations of the strangers of the land, and their vncleanes hath
filled it wholy with their filthines. 85 And now your daughters you shal
not match with their sonnes, and their daughters you shal not take for
your sonnes. 86 And you shal not seeke to haue peace with them for euer,
that growing strong you may eate the best things of the land, and may
distribute the inheritance to your children for euer. 87 And the thinges
that happen to vs, al are done for our nauhtie workes, and our great
sinnes. 88 And thou gauest vs such a roote, and we are returned againe
to transgresse thy ordinances, that we would be mingled with the
vncleannes of the nations of this land. 89 Wilt not thou be wrath with
vs to destroy vs, til there be no roote left nor our name? 90 Lord God

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